Abstract: An electrical wiring harness for testing the fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine, consisting of a collection of individual wiring pairs interposed between the vehicle electronic control unit and the individual fuel injectors, and a series of switches for selectively disabling one or more individual field injectors, as desired.

Abstract: A shelter structure includes a photovoltaic illumination system. A pair of translucent, spaced-apart panels define an interior volume which houses and protects the lamps, batteries and illumination circuitry of the system.

Abstract: The invention is an improved removable film transport for photographic equipment. A roll of film is transported through the drive by a drive reel, a take-up reel, and a supply reel. The drive allows the presentation of a selected frame from the roll of film in precise relationship to photographic equipment on which it may be mounted, such as a printer or color analyzer. Incremental adjustment of the X-axis and Y-axis of the film in relation to the photographic equipment is easily located through the use of a stepper motor and a pair of nested, sliding and interconnected frames. The drive also includes a reading device for sensing and decoding machine readable marks placed on the roll of film, and includes the necessary interface between the drive and a computer or computer network. A special drive roller mechanism minimizes risk of damage to the surface of the film during operation of the drive.

Abstract: An annular elastomeric seal, a piston utilizing the seal, and a fluid cylinder assembly utilizing the seal. The seal includes an axially forward portion defining a circumferentially inner and a circumferentially outer deflectable lip seal and an axially rearward portion defining a circumferentially inner and a circumferentially outer arcuate heel seal. When positioned in an annular groove in a piston and with the piston slidably received in the bore of a cylinder, the annular seal provides fluid pressure sealing at the deflectable lip seals, provides secondary fluid pressure sealing at the arcuate heel seals, provides air sealing at the arcuate heel seals, and functions at the arcuate heel seals to preclude the entry of contaminants into the sealing interfaces. The seal is especially effective when employed in a hydraulic pressure cylinder of the center feed type since it allows the usage of a single annular seal positioned in a singular annular groove in the piston.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing hydraulic systems of the type including a prefilled hydraulic cylinder member having a bore, conduit means communicating with the bore proximate one end of the bore, and a piston member positioned within the bore. The test methodology comprises closing the system to substantially preclude escape of hydraulic fluid from the cylinder bore through the conduit means, applying a predetermined force to the piston to urge the piston to move in the cylinder bore, measuring the magnitude of the movement of the piston in the cylinder bore in response to the predetermined force, and accepting or rejecting the hydraulic system dependent upon the magnitude of the measured movement.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing and analyzing blood serum includes a capacitive sensing unit for receiving centrifuged test tubes and generating output signals indicative of the boundary position between the separator gel and the blood serum in the tubes, and a computer connected to the sensing unit to receive and analyze the output signals of the capacitive sensing unit. An aspirator/dispenser needle and retainer probe unit is positioned above the sensing unit and is capable of lowering a needle; under the control of the computer, to puncture the stopper of a test tube and then withdraw blood serum. The retainer probe prevents the withdrawal or loosening of the tube stopper upon withdrawal of the needle from the tube. A color sensor inspects the aspirated sample and determines whether it is suitable for analysis.

Abstract: A method of forming a hydraulic cylinder assembly utilizing a plastic material for the cylinder body. The method includes forming the cylinder body in a first molding operation and simultaneously molding one or more external walls on the exterior of the cylinder body having an axial thickness less than the axial thickness of the walls of the cylinder body and thereafter increasing the axial thickness of the exterior walls to a value substantially exceeding the thickness of the cylinder walls so as to define an appendage. Where the appendage includes a mounting flange, a small external annular wall is molded on the cylinder body during the initial molding operation having an axial thickness less than the thickness of the walls of the cylinder body and a larger flange is thereafter formed around the small flange.

Abstract: A range dispersion sensor operative to detect objects of a preselected height "h" operates on quarterwave interference principles. Electromagnetic energy is modulated at a first frequency f.sub.1 such that objects of the preselected height h disposed upon a background create a quarter-wave length reflector. A beam of electromagnetic energy reflected from an object of height h and its proximate background interferes destructively to create a null signal. Effects of non-uniform reflectivity are normalized by modulating the beam at a second frequency f.sub.2 selected to not create constructive or destructive interference effects with objects of the preselected height. The ratio of the two signals is taken thereby normalizing the effects of non-uniform reflectivity, and the resultant ratio is indicative of the height of the objects.

Abstract: An ion sensitive electrode device and method of its use in analytical and clinical chemistry are provided for measuring the concentration of an ionizable analyte contained in an aqueous medium. The device with external circuit means includes an electrode pair adapted to be placed in electrochemical contact with the medium. The electrode pair includes a polarographically active base metal/metal oxide working electrode and a reference electrode. The external circuit means is adapted to measure the voltage generated by the electrode pair in open circuit and to measure the closed circuit current flow at a preselected impedance and including means for comparing said voltage and current flow values with predetermined reference standards to provide a third value representative of said analyte concentration.

Abstract: A concentric hydraulic actuator for use with a manual transmission motor vehicle of the type in which the actuator housing moves in response to depression of the clutch pedal and the associated piston remains axially affixed.

Abstract: A control assembly for a motor vehicle including a bracket; a hydraulic cylinder assembly including a cylinder mounted on the bracket and a piston rod projecting out of the cylinder; and a pedal assembly including a pedal arm mounted for pivotal movement on the bracket about a pivot axis and pivotally connected to the free end of the piston rod at a location spaced from the pivot axis. A sleeve is mounted on the bracket and is journaled on a pivot shaft secured to a fixed structure of the vehicle so that the entire assembly, including the bracket, hydraulic cylinder, and pedal assembly, may be pivotally adjusted within the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle. A slot in the bracket spaced from the pivot axis coacts with a fastener carried by the vehicle fixed structure to secure the assembly in any position of pivotal adjustment within the passenger compartment.

Abstract: A portable tacking unit includes a hand-held tacking head having a cylindrical brush operatively communicating with a central suction unit via a flexible conduit. The unit is readily adapted to electrostatically attract, and remove fine dust particles from surfaces prior to painting, lacquering or coating thereof.

Abstract: A hydraulic cylinder having an internal groove in which is disposed a seal member peripherally engaging a seal-less reciprocable piston. In one form, the hydraulic cylinder is a master cylinder having a valved port in fluid communication with a source of fluid, opening and closing of the port being effected by a reciprocable plunger mounted on the end of the piston. An outlet port and a conduit places the chamber of the master cylinder in fluid communication with the chamber of the slave cylinder. In a slave cylinder version, a single port places the pressure chamber of the slave cylinder in communication with the master cylinder for introducing fluid and withdrawing fluid into and from the slave cylinder chamber, and thereby reciprocating the slave cylinder piston.

Abstract: A hydraulic control apparatus, having a master cylinder, a slave cylinder and a conduit connecting the master cylinder to the slave cylinder, is made of separate modular units interconnectable by leakproof connectors. The apparatus is prefilled with hydraulic fluid while the separate modular units are interconnected, and after filling the separate modular units are disconnected and shipped to a user, unconnected but filled with hydraulic fluid. Alternatively, the separate modular units may be individually filled with hydraulic fluid, and shipped to a user unconnected but each filled with hydraulic fluid. After installation on a utilization device, for example a motor vehicle, the complementary connector members are reconnected for placing the individual modular units in hydraulic fluid communication. The connectors take the form of complementary members which are arranged to open fluid passageway during connection.

Abstract: A plastic reinforcing structure for use with a container of the type including a corrugated sleeve adapted to be removably attached to a plastic pallet or base member by the use of sliding latch members coacting with slots in the lower peripheral portion of the sleeve. The reinforcing structure is formed as a single piece of plastic material and includes an inner planar portion, an outer planar portion, a central wall portion, and inner and outer tubular portions carrying lips on their leading edges. In use, the central wall of the reinforcing structure is positioned under and along the lower edge of the sleeve beneath a slot in the sleeve and the inner and outer planar portions are swung upwardly about live hinges provided between the bottom wall and the inner and outer planar portions.

Abstract: The present invention is heads up display for use in a ground vehicle. A video program source and a display device produce a set of visual images which are reflected to only one eye of the driver via a mirror disposed on the windshield at a position slightly above the normal line of sight of the driver. This mirror has a size which is a small fraction of the windshield area, a width less than the interpupilary distance, and has a size relative to the size of the display device and the distance from the driver to the display device to reflect an image of the display device to only one eye of the driver. This could be either the left eye or the right eye. The display device is surrounded by a dark unobtrusive background which enables the reflected image other than the display to be visually uninteresting. The mirror has a optical power for reflecting a collimated image focused at visual infinity.

Abstract: An electric actuator for use in engaging and disengaging the clutch of a manual transmission motor vehicle. The actuator comprises an electric motor which is sized to be positioned within the housing of the clutch. The motor includes an annular armature assembly which is positioned concentrically around the clutch shaft and which drives a nut member which in turn drives a screw member to move the release bearing linearly to engage and disengage the clutch. In one embodiment, the nut and screw comprise an acme thread arrangement and in another embodiment the nut and screw are of the ball type. In one embodiment the screw advances linearly in response to rotation of the armature assembly and in another embodiment the housing and armature assembly advance linearly in response to rotation of the armature assembly while the screw remains fixed.

Abstract: In a speckle imaging process, the contribution of non-uniform, incoherent background illumination is removed via an aperture sampling technique. A pair of uncorrelated speckle images are produced and subtracted from one another to eliminate the non-coherent background contribution. The result of this subtraction is rectified so as to provide a signal which may be displayed on a video display. Disclosed are techniques for real time video display of enhanced speckle images as well as techniques for visualizing vibrational modes and surface roughness mapping.

Abstract: Landscape edging for defining a border proximate plant life comprises a generally planar member, an interior flange generally parallel to the plane of the member extending along a first portion thereof, and an exterior flange generally parallel to the plane of the member and extending along a second portion thereof. The member further includes a contiguous, raised wall projecting generally perpendicularly to the plane of the member, the wall is interposed between the interior and exterior flanges of the member and extends along the length of the member. The wall cooperates with the interior flange of the member to retain a mulch media thereby, and the wall, the interior and exterior flanges cooperate to limit the growth of undesirable foliage beneath the member. Various shapes of edging are disclosed.

Abstract: A vehicular mounted support for cameras or other optical devices comprises a support pillar attachable to the window of the vehicle and having a spacer to steady the pillar in at least partially spaced-apart relationship with the window. The pillar supports a mounting arm which in turn holds a camera or other mounting device. The mounting arm is positionably adjustable with respect to the length of the support pillar and may be articulated to allow for a better positioning of the optical device.